By Nicholas Kalu, Abuja
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two women, Chioma Afam, 36, and Peace Chidinma Caleb, 22, for allegedly trying to smuggle 296,000 tablets of Diazepam and Exol-5 from Onitsha, Anambra State to Gombe state.
Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Wednesday, said Afam used multiple identities and wore hijabs to evade security scrutiny.
He said: “Chioma who uses multiple names such as Amina, Uzoamaka and Ifunaya to cover her criminal activities was arrested on Saturday 17th July 2021 along with the 22-year-old Peace Chidinma Caleb who also wears a hijab as a cover for her nefarious activities during routine checks and profiling of inward vehicles into Makurdi, the Benue state capital. Their vehicle coming from Onitsha, Anambra State was intercepted along Makurdi – Alliade road while heading to Gombe State via Makurdi.
“A search of their vehicle led to the discovery of 43kilograms of Diazepam and 33kg of Exol-5, both weighing 76 kilograms with a total of Two Hundred and Ninety-Six Thousand (296,000) tablets packed in four large ‘Ghana must go’ bags. Curiously, the two interstate drug traffickers have rebuffed efforts to take pictures with the exhibits without wearing their hijab.”
Babafemi also said the Ondo Command of the agency on Sunday 18th July 2021 intercepted one Olu Ameh, a commercial motorcycle rider with 465 kilograms of cannabis Sativa along Ijagba-Ute road in the Ose local government area of the state.
“The illicit substance was said to have been bought from one Joseph in Ago-Akure, Akure North LGA and being conveyed to the buyer, a certain Egbonwon at Ijagba village in Ose LGA,” the statement reads.
